


Time Stands Still and It's Only Us

by dragonsandbooks



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Ghosts, Fluff and Angst, I Don't Even Know, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Strangers to Friends to Lovers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-24
Updated: 2019-11-24
Packaged: 2021-02-26 06:15:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,443
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21548956
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dragonsandbooks/pseuds/dragonsandbooks
Summary: Eita's been here for years with no one to talk to. It does feel lonely but he's used to it.Kenjirou's a promising volleyball player with a big dream but has his life cut short. That last bit really is a hard pill to swallow.Together they learn to be with one another in their so-called afterlife.
Relationships: Semi Eita/Shirabu Kenjirou
Comments: 2
Kudos: 27





	Time Stands Still and It's Only Us

**Author's Note:**

> i've posted this before when it was around 1k but i deleted it bc i thought i should've finished it first but i didn't have time. so uhhh i think if i post this i'll have motivation to write more. 
> 
> also let's think of this as a very late birthday present for semi.

Eita's stuck here for so long he loses track of time. Students come and go, those fresh faces will one day walk out of the school gates with a smile on their face, a diploma in hand. The school's volleyball club is still the same. The gym's still standing, the coach is strict as ever, and they're still considered a powerhouse school.  
  
He sees them. He watches them going through their daily life. But they can't see him.  
  
Though he hates to admit it, he does feel lonely. Who isn't when there's no one to talk to?  
  
As though someone up there hears his grievance, someone – or rather, something – comes barging into his humble abode. Said humble abode is the equipment room connected to the school's first gym.  
  
"Who are you?!" The stranger asks him, pointing his finger at Eita as if it shouldn't be the other way round.  
  
"Well, who are you? Why are you here?" he asks back, approaching the other figure.  
  
"I'm a student here! I'm on the volleyball team, a starting player! I have every reason to be here. So, who are you?" he spats back.  
  
This kid's attitude is irritating. _Damn_ , Eita wants to take back his complaints about feeling lonely. _Please undo this punishment_ , he says while looking up at the ceiling. Because it sure feels like a punishment.  
  
"I was a student and used to be on the volleyball team, too," he answers, eyes looking the other up and down as if assessing him. "And I've been here longer so it's Semi-san to you." He puts the emphasis on the honorific.  
  
"I've never seen you before," The other boy says, seemingly more calm than before, though he's still scowling.  
  
"Do you realise what you're now? A ghost. I'm a ghost, too. Take a wild guess on why you never saw me before." He goes back to his earlier position – laying on top of the mattress – as he watches the boy going over his words.  
  
A silence stretches on until the younger one breaks it with a screech.  
  
"I know I'm dead already! I just don't know why I'm here! A ghost? There's no ghost!" He screams and points at Eita like he personally offends the boy.  
  
"Well, if there's no ghost, what are we? Can you explain that?" he scoffs, crossing his arms and staring at the newcomer.  
  
He sputters, not knowing what to say. _Figures_ , Eita thinks to himself.  
  
"I'm a ghost, so are you. I don't know why you're here or how long you're gonna stay but there's nothing you can do. Trust me, I've been here for god knows how long. We're both stuck so let's just get along, okay?" He says in a matter-of-fact tone.  
  
"Ugh," he groans. _What a little shit_ , Eita thinks.  
  
Sighing, he asks the younger boy, "So, care to tell me your name? I've told you mine."  
  
A short silence. "Shirabu," he says reluctantly.  
  
"Okay. I guess it's nice to meet you, Shirabu," Eita tries being polite. At least he knows how to, unlike someone. "Right, so I guess I should tell you the basic. You have access to the whole school ground, but you can't get past the gates. I tried but not even 2 meters outside of the school I was suddenly forced back into the school grounds. You can go through the wall, ceiling, and basically everything. It's nice when you get used to it."  
  
"Is that all?" Shirabu raises one of his eyebrows.  
  
"You can't touch or move anything until you learn how to and it'll take time. No one can see you or talk with you so you better give up on trying to make a contact with your teammates, it's not gonna work. You don't need sleep but for the record I already claimed this room for me to spend the nights in, you should find your own room. You can come here if you have a question, though." Eita finally ends his spiel.  
  
"Why do you need a room when you don't even need to sleep? Why are you even laying on a mattress?"  
  
"It's comfortable," he shrugs.  
  
"Ugh. Fine. I still don't like this but you know what, fine. I'm done today," he grumbles.  
  
Shirabu leaves the equipment room through the door. Seeing that, Eita shrugs again. _It'll take some time until he gets used to all of this_ , he thinks. _But it's not really my problem._  
  
He closes his eyes.  
  
…

The sound of the door is the reason he opens his eyes. It's already morning and the first years in charge of setting up for the morning practice has arrived.  
  
Eita lets them work, not giving them particular attention. It's not like this is the first time.  
  
Finally, as more members come into the gym, it becomes more lively. Eita decides to come out and see because he predicts it won't last long.  
  
He proves himself right when Coach Washijo comes in with a bigger frown than usual. He looks grim and the team can sense the sudden change in atmosphere that comes with him.  
  
_He looks exactly like he did a few years ago_ , Eita realizes. _When he had to break the news about me._  
  
"Gather 'round, boys," he commands.  
  
Everyone does as told. Washijo looks at them before he lets out a sigh, a deep sigh.  
  
"I've just received a call from Shirabu Kenjiro's parents informing me that he passed away due to an unfortunate accident last night," Coach breaks the news, his tone heavy. He sighs again. "We lost a promising player."  
  
Shock colors everyone's faces. They probably think about last night, waving goodbye to their teammate after practice before they parted ways, not knowing it would be the last time they saw him.

Eita feels a presence next to him. He knows who it is but he doesn't say anything.  
  
"It's real, huh," Shirabu says to no one in particular. Eita still nods, signalling he hears the boy.  
  
"They're gonna cancel afternoon practice to go to your house." As Eita informs him this, Washijo tells the team the same thing. "See?"

"I really want to see my parents for the last time," he whispers, voice breaking at the end.  
  
Despite his attitude last night, he shows this side of him to Eita. Even though he doesn't know this boy well, Eita has a feeling it's not in his nature to show his vulnerability to just anyone.  
  
Putting a comforting hand around his shoulder, Eita tells him the sad truth, "You can't. Unless they come here, to the school, there's no way for you to see them."  
  
"Why am I stuck here?" Shirabu questions, frustrated.  
  
"Isn't it usually because someone has a lingering feeling or something one really wants to do that they become a ghost? At least in horror movies that's what they tell you," Eita answers.  
  
"But you don't think so," the shorter boy remarks, eyes now looking at Eita instead of his teammates who have begun practice.  
  
"I made peace with it yet here I am." He lets go of Shirabu's shoulder, spreading his hands to put an emphasis on his words.  
  
Here I am, years later, still stuck on this school.  
  
Turning to look at the practice in front of them, Shirabu asks again, "How long have you been here?"  
  
"Four, five, I don't know, maybe even six years," Eita answers nonchalantly.  
  
"That's– quite long. I was still in elementary or middle school back then," Shirabu awkwardly comments.  
  
The older boy doesn't deign it with an answer. He goes outside, basically floating higher to reach the rooftop in the main building. Shirabu's torn between following him or staying here to watch his teammates. But a few minutes later as he feels bitterness trying to swallow him, he decides to leave the gym too.  
  
…  
  
They don't talk again for the rest of the day. After leaving the gym, Shirabu goes to his dorm room – well, used to be his dorm room – and hides there.  
  
It's agonizing, thinking about what ifs and wishing it was all just a nightmare. He's frustrated because he should be out there in the gym right now with his teammates, preparing for Inter High qualifiers. He's finally made starting setter, he should be there helping them get their ticket to Nationals. He hates this.  
  
He feels helpless.

He knows he needs to talk to someone about this. Talking it out help, his best friend used to tell him that. But he can't even talk to his friend now.  
  
His existence is no more, yet he's still here.  
  
…  
  
In the end, Shirabu spends his day pacing back and forth in the dorm room, muttering to himself. He's at it for so long that it's only interrupted when his roommate – who’s also his aforementioned best friend – comes in.  
  
The door creaks open to Kawanishi, hair still wet from the shower, carrying his heavy bag.  
  
The bag drops as soon as the door closes. His friend also drops himself to the floor, sitting there hugging his knees, and suddenly Shirabu's ears are assaulted by sobbing noises coming from the other boy.  
  
Never once in his life, albeit a short one, that Shirabu has to deal with this. It breaks him to see his friend like that, more so when he's the cause of it.  
  
His hand wants to reach out, he wants to put it on Kawanishi's shoulder. A warm comforting hand. Telling him it'll be alright. But he can't.  
  
His hand stops midair, hovering there as he tries to make up his mind.  
  
It goes through him.  
  
His hand can't touch him.  
  
Shirabu feels sick.  
  
Overwhelmed, he leaves the room to find somewhere to be alone.

…

Eita's back to the equipment room. It's already past 7 and no one stays for extra practice today, which is understandable given the circumstances. A nagging thought keeps telling him to check on the newcomer, but he doesn't want to seek him out first. His stupid pride is stubborn on this one.

_He'll come to me when he needs to_ , Eita says to himself.

The old clock shows it's past 10 when Eita's concern wins against his pride. He should be the one to seek the boy out. 

_God knows how thankful I would be if there was someone to help me settling in way back then_ , Eita mutters to himself.

He searches around, going through room after room. Without prior knowledge about the boy he has zero clue on where he can possibly be. 

After what feels like an hour, Eita finds him, out of all places, on top of the first gym's roof. He lands softly next to the other boy, eyes never leaving his figure.

"So, you have no fear of heights?" He asks by way of greeting while he sits himself.

"Hm," is all he gets. No one says anything after that. Eita looks away, instead focusing his sight on the stars above, and waits. 

"This is the first time I've been on a rooftop, though." It's spoken softly, in a hushed tone that makes it hard for Eita to catch it.

"There's a first time for everything," he responds.

Shirabu chuckles. It's dry and harsh, as if it's forced out of him. 

"Never thought my first time for this is after my death," he mumbles. 

Eita lets out his own chuckle. "Funny, isn't it? It's like someone up there wants to give a second chance but for all the things one doesn't actually need to experience." 

"That's not funny at all, Semi-san," he replies, a slight scowl appearing on his face. He asks, "What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you," Eita answers simply. "How was your day?"

"What do you think?" He huffs. "I saw my best friend crying and had no way to comfort him. How do you think it'd make me feel?" He spats, bitterness is evident in his voice.

Eita doesn't reply. He doesn't think Shirabu expect him to reply anyway. But he does want to. He just has no idea how to do it. 

After what feels like hours of quietude, Eita decides, fuck it, I know I'm not good with this to begin with, and starts running his mouth.

"I'm really sorry to hear that," he begins. "I don't know what to say other than that. I don't think you'll appreciate it if I say 'yeah, it's hard, I've been there.' It won't lessen your pain. So, uhh? it takes time, dealing with this. It won't be easy and any less painful but you'll get there. Just know that if you need anything, someone to talk to, I'm here. You know where to find me."

Shirabu finally looks at him. His face betrays nothing, giving Eita no way to tell what he's gonna say. 

"Has anyone ever told you you're shit at comforting people?" He asks, simple and straightforward.

Eita frowns. Out of all reactions he's expecting, that one is definitely not it. He knows he should be the one being reasonable and clear headed here, but gods above, nothing in his lone five or so years existence as a spirit could prepare him for this. Every word coming out of the other boy's mouth feels like it tries to get a rise out of him.

"Has anyone ever told you that you're a little shit?" Eita bites back.

"No, it's just you," he lies. "So, that means you're wrong." He smirks at Eita.

_His mood's lifted a little_ , a thought flashes in his mind upon seeing that small smirk. _I'm glad._

"Or they're just too polite to point it out," Eita retorts.

"Are you saying you're a rude person, Semi-san?" Shirabu asks, looking triumphantly at Eita. The way he says his name makes Eita want to slap the younger boy's head. 

"No, just honest." 

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, Semi-san." Shirabu rolls his eyes.

"I don't even need to sleep," Eita mutters. He stands up, his hands on each side of his hips. "This is getting nowhere. I'm going back," he announces. 

Shirabu – who'd followed Eita's movement with his eyes – looks away and mutters, "Yeah, just go then."

"I'm serious, though. If you need anything, come find me. I'll try to help," Eita repeats, in case the other boy forgets – or thinks he's just said it out of pity. 

Shirabu burrows his face in his arms, totally not looking at Eita. Seeing him like that, Eita just huffs and starts making his way down.

Just as he's about to go back down, he hears a soft murmur.

"Thank you."

Eita smiles. 

He's still smiling when he gets back to the equipment room.

…

**Author's Note:**

> kudos and comments are always appreciated! ♡
> 
> if you see any mistake, please let me know. 
> 
> also, you can scream @ me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/avocadofrappe)!!


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